Umrao Jaan (1981 film)

Plot

In 1840s Faizabad, a betrothed teenager named Amiran is kidnapped by her criminal neighbour Dilawar, in an act of revenge against Amiran's daroga father, who had testified against Dilawar. Dilawar sells Amiran to Khanum Jaan, the madam of a kotha (brothel) in Lucknow, who teaches young tawaifs (courtesans). At the kotha, Amiran is given the name Umrao Jaan. Years later, Umrao has grown up and became an accomplished poet, and as well as an extraordinary tawaif.

The young Nawab Sultan is smitten by Umrao's beauty and poetry, and the two fall in love. However, Nawab reveals that he must marry someone else to please his family, leaving behind a heartbroken Umrao. Umrao seeks solace in the arms of Faiz Ali and elopes with him, only to discover that he is a wanted bandit. On the way, Ali is killed by the local police.

Umrao relocates to Kanpur, where she establishes herself as a poet and tawaif, but is brought back to Khanum by her kotha keepers, Gohar Mirza and Husseini. Later, she meets the Begum of Kanpur and discovers that she is actually Ram Dai, whom Dilawar had abducted alongside Amiran years ago. In a strange twist of fate, Ram Dai was sold to the mother of Nawab Sultan and she ends up marrying him.

British forces lay siege to Lucknow and the residents evacuate the city. Umrao & Khanum's household of refugees stops in a small village, which Umrao recognises as Faizabad, her hometown. However, The residents don't recognise her and ask her to perform for them.

Afterwards, Umrao goes to her childhood home where her mother is happy to welcome her back, but her younger brother forbids it and humiliates her. He thinks her being a tawaif is a disgrace, and that she is better off dead, ordering her to leave. Devastated, Umrao Jaan returns to Lucknow once the mutiny is over and finds her kotha looted and deserted.

Cast

• Rekha as Amiran/Umrao Jaan
  • Seema Sathyu and Umme Farwa as young Amiran
• Farooq Shaikh as Nawab Sultan
• Naseeruddin Shah as Gohar Mirza
• Raj Babbar as Faiz Ali
• Ishtiaque Khan as Khan Ghilzai
• Gajanan Jagirdar as Maulvi Saheb
• Shaukat Kaifi as Khanum Jaan
• Dina Pathak as Husseini
• Prema Narayan as Bismillah Jaan
• Bharat Bhushan Bhalla as Khan Saheb
• Mukri as Parnan Aziz
• Satish Shah as Daroga Dilawar

Release and reception

According to author Anitaa Padhye's Ten Classics (English), Umrao Jaan was released theatrically on 2 January 1981.

It will be presented in the Red Sea: Treasure strand at the Jeddah's Red Sea International Film Festival on 7 December 2025. The protagonist of the film Rekha along with the director Muzaffar Ali will attend the festival for special screening of freshly restored film. It will be shown for the first time outside of India.

Rekha was widely praised for her acting, and won the National Film Award for her portrayal of the central character. The film's box office returns were average. The supporting characters were played by Naseeruddin Shah, Farooq Shaikh, Raj Babbar and Bharat Bhushan. Critics responded favourably to the carefully done historical setting.

The soundtrack was composed by Khayyam and the lyrics were penned by Shahryar. Several songs from the film, sung by Asha Bhosle, are considered classics of filmi music: "Dil Cheez Kya Hai", "Justuju Jiski Thi", "In Ankhon Ki Masti Ke", and "Yeh Kya Jagah Hai Doston". Today, Umrao Jaan is considered at par with other cult classics such as Pakeezah (1972) and is widely acclaimed as one of India's great cinematic magnum opuses.

Soundtrack

The music of the film was composed by Khayyam, while the lyrics were penned by Shahryar.

Accolades

Musical

Salim–Sulaiman adapted the film into a musical play, Umrao Jaan Ada - The Musical, in 2019. The theatrical adaptation was directed by Rajeev Goswami with Pratibha Baghel in the titular role of the tawaif.

References

References

1. "National Film Archive of India".
2. Subramaniam, Chitra. (15 April 1980). "Umrao Jaan attempts to recapture aristocratic grandeur of Awadh". [[Living Media]].
3. "Umrao Jaan (1981 film) – film review".
4. Padhye, Anitaa. (2020). "Ten Classics". Manjul Publishing.
5. "Umrao Jaan".
6. Salwa, Ola. (6 November 2025). "The fifth Red Sea International Film Festival announces its full line-up".
7. Nick Vivarelli. (10 November 2025). "Bollywood Icon Rekha to Attend Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Film Festival for Indian Classic ‘Umrao Jaan’". [[Variety (magazine).
8. A.k, Arun. (24 June 2021). "What made 'Umrao Jaan' iconic". The Hindu.
9. [http://www.boxofficeindia.com/topactresses.htm Umrao Jaan] topactresses, boxofficeindia
10. Pankaj Rag. (2006). "Dhuno Ki Yatra". [[Rajkamal Prakashan]].
11. "29th National Film Awards". [[Directorate of Film Festivals]].
12. (8 August 2019). "The aroma of Awadh".